


One Tuesday Morning

by mediocre_jellyfish



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Domestic, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, One Shot, Post-Canon, Post-Fall (Hannibal), weight gain but like not in a weird way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29284176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mediocre_jellyfish/pseuds/mediocre_jellyfish
Summary: Hannibal has insecurities
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 2
Kudos: 67





	One Tuesday Morning

**Author's Note:**

> Minor CW for weight gain and discussions of body image!

Will woke up sluggishly. It was a quiet Tuesday morning. He had no intention of getting out of bed sooner than he needed to, so instead of groaning at the alarm clock or rushing to get to the office, he let himself stretch and squint at the faint light pushing against the curtains. The beams of sunlight fell in graceful arches across the blankets and he slowly realized that Hannibal was not in bed next to him.

For a moment, he thought the man was out hunting. Ever since they had left Baltimore (or more accurately, run away together, though Will couldn’t stand the cliché of that particular phrase), there had been an unspoken agreement between them. Hannibal could hunt whenever he wished, but would avoid killing anyone Will had a particular attachment to. Will could accompany him if he felt so inclined, but he usually didn’t. It was a rough agreement at best and what was left of his conscience squirmed at the thought of remotely justifying murder, but it would have to do. Hannibal could not change; Will did not want to change him more than he already had.

However, a quick glance around their room proved that Hannibal was not out. The bathroom light was on and Hannibal’s outfit of the day - a simple brown suit - was still folded on the window seat. Will yawned before dragging himself out of bed and wandering over to the bathroom, expecting he could join Hannibal in the shower.

He found the man still dressed in his pajamas (i.e. a pair of flannel pants that he’d ‘borrowed’ from Will) standing in front of the mirror. His hands wrapped around his own stomach, pinching and pulling at the pudge there.

Will raised a brow. “Did you eat too much liver last night?” His tone was teasing, but Hannibal didn’t smile at all. He paused, hesitating for a moment before walking over and wrapping his arms around him. His hands came to rest over where Hannibal’s were; Hannibal begrudgingly intertwined their fingers, though his gaze remained fixed on the mirror.

“Normally you’re the one saying this,” Will murmured, forehead pressed between his shoulder blades. “But I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”

He was silent for a moment before saying in a quiet voice, “Starvation theory.”

“What?”

“It is the medical theory that, when your body is deprived of food for too long, it changes you on a genetic level. You remain in survival mode even when food is no longer scarce. You retain unnecessary calories.” He said it all hollowly, though it wasn’t the kind of infinite, beastly hollowness that came from his time killing. This was a more human kind of hollow, the kind that made Will frown with concern.

“The orphanage.” He wasn’t asking for clarification, just voicing his understanding. Hannibal had hinted his childhood at the orphanage had not been a kind or cosy time in his life. Will could easily picture a small, strange child like him getting cast out of the food line.

“Yes. The orphanage,” Hannibal said. There was an hateful edge to his voice that pricked at Will’s ears uncomfortably; he could feel Hannibal glaring at his reflection. “Despite everything, I cannot seem to shake those... changes.”

“Darling....” Will trailed off, thinking for a moment about what he wanted to say. What Hannibal needed to hear. “Change is a natural part of life. You know that.”

“I know that I can control every other aspect of my life, natural or not,” he grunted. “I made myself exactly who I wanted to be. But this-“ He prodded harshly at his stomach.

Will cut him off, grabbing his hand before he could poke at himself again. “This... is a normal part of you. It is a normal part of who you are. There is nothing to be ashamed of here.”

“How can I  _ not  _ feel shame when-“

“When you have a little pudge?” Will said flatly. He waited to make sure he wasn’t going to protest any further before saying, “I love you. Do you doubt that?”

“...no.”

“I love all of you, even the darkest parts of you. Do you doubt that?”

A long pause, then a mumbled, “No, but-“

“Even if you feel shame over something, Hannibal, I love you regardless. Even if you can’t love this part of yourself,” he said firmly. He squeezed his hands, as if a little more physical contact could imbue Hannibal with the message he was trying to get across. “ _ Even if you can’t _ , I’ll love it for you, just like you love me and all my scars even when I can’t muster up the strength to love myself. Okay?”

“You shouldn’t have to,” Hannibal protested. His frame sagged slightly, weight pressing against Will.

”I know what I signed up for. I know because I spent three long years thinking about it, thinking about what it would be like to live with you. It's no burden on me, I promise.”

“...alright.”

“Good.” He pressed a kiss in between his shoulder blades before saying, “I’ll skip work today.”

“You don’t need to,” Hannibal protested, finally tearing his eyes away from the mirror to turn and look at him directly.

Will scoffed. The job he’d gotten - a temporary job as a reporter in this little town where nothing newsworthy happened anyway - was a time passer, not a necessity. Hannibal had more than enough money for the both of them, even with his time in jail and the costly court case before that. “Nonsense. They don’t need me today anyway. Today, we’re going to cook something way too fancy, and you can teach me how to play piano.”

That brought a tiny, scoffing laugh to Hannibal’s lips, though it was hesitant at best. “I must remind you that an electric keyboard that you found at a garage sale does  _ not  _ count as a piano.”

“Then we will go for a walk at the park. Point is, I’m spending today with you,” Will said stubbornly. “Understood?”

A faint smile ghosted across his face and Will knew that, in this moment at least, he had succeeded in cheering Hannibal up. He guessed there would be other times that this would come up, but he didn’t care. Hannibal was okay. For now.

“Understood.”


End file.
